I've heard it called an earworm when a song gets stuck in your head. So, if a book get stuck in your head, would it be a brain worm? Whatever its called, my mind has been hashing and re-hashing John Woestendiek's new book.
Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend is a book about science, big business and commerce, merchandising and salesmanship, morality and ethics, as well as the love we have for our dogs. This book proves that truth is stranger than (science) fiction. Once you pick it up you'll have a hard time putting it down. And when you do put it down, you'll find yourself returning time and again to the issues it raises.
John Woestendiek, a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter, does an amazing job of explaining the ins and outs of closing man's best friend. Woestendiek gives us the scientific facts and history of cloning dogs (and other mammals) in easy to understand language. Along the way he gives us a healthy dose of the very human story. From the woman who hoped to clone the pit bull who she believed saved her life and eventually purchased what would be the first commercially produced dog clones, to a billionaire who decides to make a profit from cloning his family dog, to the scientists who made dog cloning a reality.
Each step along the way there are fascinating stories to be told, and told they are by Woestendiek with the same charm, good humor and keen observation that readers of his popular blogs ohmidog! and Travels with Ace have come to expect. It's obvious that this guy does his homework, personally grapples with the issues, can maintain objectivity, enjoys true human stories, and loves dogs.
As the author says:
"Like most good dog stories, the saga of dog cloning probably reveals more about humans than canines - our innate need for power, fame, money, and love; our thirst of instant, or at least speedy, gratification; our uniquely human refusal to accept the finality of death, and our overwhelming desire to control the world in which we live. And, like most good dog stories, it likely contains some lessons for those who navigate on two legs, the kind of wordless tutelage dogs have been offering for centuries - if only we'd listen. With the cloning of dog, man may have crossed the final barrier to cloning humans. ..."
I'm a dog lover. I've often jokingly said I'd like to clone Lucy, my "heart dog." I won't be saying that anymore. It's no joke and it is no longer the stuff of science fiction. If you've got about $100,000 to spare, you can clone your beloved dog if you want to. I'll pass. When the time comes, I'll head for the nearest animal shelter.
You can find Dog, Inc. at Amazon and other book sellers.
Okay, I admit that from time to time I've said I want to clone Lucy. Lucy is my heart dog and I honestly can't imagine my life without her. (I also admit that I sometimes wish I'd let her have a litter of puppies, just so I could have another small piece of her. But that's another story.)
At any rate, the sheer cost of such a venture is more than daunting. Plus, the more I thought about it, the more I questioned the whole idea. If I were able to have Lucy cloned... what would I accomplish? I'd have a physical replica of her. Wouldn't I? And is it her physical beauty that's important? Nope. As I told the author of Dog, Inc, John Woestendiek, I don't think they've yet figured out to clone souls.
I have not yet read John's new book Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man’s Best Friend, but I've signed up for the Amazon pre-order and am looking forward to December 30 when it will be released. You may be familiar with his beloved ohmidog! blog. I figure if the writing is half as good as his current Travels with Ace series, then the book is absolutely not to be missed. Sounds like a barking good read for any dog lover.
Here's what the Dog, Inc: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend web site has to say:
Ever Wish You Could Clone Your Dog? You can, for $100,000 or so. But whether you should is another question —one that’s investigated and explored in Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man’s Best Friend. What Stiff did for the dead and Fast Food Nation did for the burger, Dog, Inc. does for the stranger-than-fiction world of commercial dog cloning.
It all began with a pit bull named Booger. Former beauty queen Bernann McKinney was so distraught over the death of her dog, whom she regarded as her guardian and savior, that she paid $50,000 to RNL Bio for the chance to bring her beloved companion back to life. The result was five new Boogers—the first successful commercial cloning of a canine—delivered in 2008, along with a slew of compelling questions about the boundaries of science, commerce, and ethics. Blending shocking investigative reporting with colorful anecdotes, Pulitzer Prize-winning John Woestendiek takes readers behind the scenes of this emerging industry.
But Dog, Inc. isn't just a book about pets. Nor is it just a book about science. Rather it's a fascinating look at how our emotional needs are bending the reaches of science and technology, as well as a study of this uncharted territory. With our pet obsession climbing to new heights and our scientific abilities even more so, this combination raises a serious concern: Are we crossing the boundary of controlling science in the name of science, in the name of love, in the name of merchandising—or a blend of all three?
Dog, Inc.: the Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend by John Woestendiek. Order your copy today.
